This seaside town, 154 kilometers from Auckland, on New Zealand's North Island, is known for its waves. Legend has it this quaint settlement of about 3,000 people has one of the longest left-hand point breaks in the world. Its surf was featured in the classic 1966 film "The Endless Summer," back in the days when barely a handful of people surfed here. As news spread of Raglan's waves, surfers came en masse from as far away as California and Hawaii.

Wetsuit on, I am ready to hit the surf. But my instructor is laughing as I emerge from the changing room. I'm not even in the water yet. Do I look funny?

"I said zip at the back," he chuckles. "We're not going to work, mate."

First task failed.

Wetsuit rearranged, we head down to the beach. Today, DK has chosen Ngarunui beach—the only one in the area that's safe for beginners. "We've got lots of water coming in and it is a sand beach," he says. "As you get better, then you go on to the next wave—Manu Bay—but out there you have to negotiate yourself over the rocks."

‘I'm determined to show him what I'm made of. I will stand up on that board.’

I'm eager to get started but DK tells me it's vital to practice getting up on the board on dry land. In my head I break his instructions into four easy-to-remember steps. One: lie flat on the board with your hands under your shoulders. Two: slide hands back and raise your upper body, ready to push up. Three: get up on your feet in one go. And four: stand up with your knees flexed. It sounds so easy.

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Daniel Kereopa catches a wave in New Zealand.
Pieter ten Broek

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Surfers on a pristine New Zealand beach.
Getty Images

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Harbour View Hotel.
Getty Images/Lonely Planet Images

One thing to remember before we go in: "Go out in the surf with an open mind and have some fun," DK says. "Don't be afraid to fall off, or to do some wacky stuff. It is a balancing act out there and sometimes you get yourself in some compromising positions."

Once in the water, he warns me to keep the board at my side so it doesn't hit me when the wave comes my way. It can get quite rough at times, he says.

I'm holding a 2.4-meter board—wide and thick. This is good for beginners as it provides more stability. But it's harder than it seems. Just pushing my board over the waves is a struggle. I can see why surfers have such toned bodies.

DK identifies a good wave and I lie flat on the board as he turns it around.

The wave pushes me forward. Remember the steps. One, two.... Next thing I know, I'm in the water and my board is at least a meter away.

We keep repeating this drill for about 20 minutes: I lie flat on the board, DK turns the board around and pushes me when the wave comes, then I collapse into the water, unable to stand up. I think I've swallowed half the ocean.

At least DK seems amused. He keeps emitting little screams of excitement every time my head comes out of the water and gives me the thumbs-up. I'm sure this is meant to be encouraging but I can't help feeling ridiculous.

I'm determined to show him what I'm made of. I will stand up on that board.

I grab my fiberglass foe and stride boldly toward the waves. One wave, and another. As I hold the board across my chest a huge wave pushes it into my face. Humiliation. My brain is rattling inside my skull, my upper lip is cracked and my front teeth feel numb and slightly loose. I've got a handful of blood after wiping my nose, which must surely be the size of a tomato. Brilliant.

Tail between my legs, I get back on the board, and keep trying and failing to stand up. At last, by some miracle, I manage to stand up for a few seconds. Success!

I wish I could report that I was riding high for longer. But who's counting? I was happy just to get up.

And once the bruises have faded and I've recovered from my hour of humiliation, I may even get back on that board and give surfing one more go. And this time, I'll be sure to wear my zip at the back.

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Ian Hardie
Ian Hardie

Local Hero // Ian Hardie

Ian Hardie is a local legend. He's been skippering boat tours of Raglan Harbour for two decades, but as a teenager in the late 1970s, he belonged to a group of Raglan surfers known as "the Magnets"—because they always stuck together.

In 1978, aged 18, Mr. Hardie drove up to Raglan from New Zealand's South Island. The town was already known as a surf spot, but today's trendy cafes and shops were nowhere to be seen.

"People say New Zealand is 10 years behind the rest of the world," he says, so the surfing scene was similar to California's in the '60s.

"There were maybe 20 people hanging out at one time," says Mr. Hardie. "We had no cafés and there was just one hotel. We formed our own small community of surfers and we used to have dinner at each other's houses. We kept ourselves entertained."

Figuring out where the best waves were was also harder in those days, he says. "There was no weather forecast back then. It took a while for people to figure out where the best surf was."

And there was another downside. "There were no girls around," he says. "It was kind of a boy's town. You had to bring the girls from outside town."

So, what became of the Magnets? "They all moved to different parts of the world. Two of us are still here in Raglan. The other one just moved back recently after 15 years in Hawaii."

New Zealand is awesome but those chasing waves around the world also know that South Africa and Costa Rica are great destinations also. Reservation Clearinghouse helps surfers and travelers form around the world find great rates on hotel rooms. http://www.reservationclearinghouse.com

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